When the subject of brining
comes up, people ask what kinds of containers can be used to
hold the brining solution and meat. The usual answer is a
non-reactive container made from plastic, ceramic, glass, stainless steel,
or anodized aluminum (not regular aluminum). Plastic containers are most
popular because they are widely
available in sizes large enough to hold a whole turkey, a commonly brined
meat.

But are all plastic
containers appropriate for contact
with your food during brining?

What
Is Plastic?

Plastic is made from
hydrocarbons derived from petroleum or natural gas. The hydrocarbons are
formed into chains called polymers, or plastic resins. By combining
hydrocarbon molecules in different ways, different types of plastic
can be created.

What
Is Food Grade Plastic?

The U.S. Food & Drug
Administration (FDA) requires that plastics used in food packaging be of
greater purity than plastics used for non-food packaging. This is commonly
referred to as food grade plastic. Plastics used to package
pharmaceuticals are held to an even higher standard than food grade.

Food grade plastic does
not contain dyes or recycled plastic deemed harmful to humans. However,
this does not mean that food grade plastic cannot contain recycled
plastic. The FDA has detailed regulations concerning
recycled plastics in
food packaging.

Another aspect of food
grade plastic is matching the appropriate type of plastic to the food in
question. Foods that are highly acidic or that contain alcohol or fats can
leach plastic additives from the packaging or container into the food. As
a result, you should only use plastic containers that are FDA approved for
the particular type of food the plastic will come into contact with.

Finally, it should be
noted that a plastic container can no longer be considered food grade if
it has been used to store non-food items like chemicals, paint, or
detergent.

Types Of Plastic

In the United States, the
following codes represent the seven categories of plastic used in nearly all
plastic containers and product packaging:

PET or
PETE
(polyethylene terephthalate) is a clear, tough polymer with
exceptional gas and moisture barrier properties. PET's ability to
contain carbon dioxide (carbonation) makes it ideal for use in soft
drink bottles.

Examples: Soft drink bottles, detergent bottles

HDPE (high density
polyethylene) is used in milk, juice and water containers in order to
take advantage of its excellent protective barrier properties. Its
chemical resistance properties also make it well suited for items such
as containers for household chemicals and detergents. Most five
gallon food buckets are made from HDPE.

Examples: Milk
bottles, shopping bags

Vinyl (polyvinyl
chloride, or PVC) provides excellent clarity, puncture resistance and
cling. As a film, vinyl can breathe just the right amount, making it
ideal for packaging fresh meats that require oxygen to ensure a bright
red surface while maintaining an acceptable shelf life.

Examples:
Plastic food wrap, shrink wrap, garden hoses, shoe soles

LDPE (low density
polyethylene) offers clarity and flexibility. It is used to make
bottles that require flexibility. To take advantage of its strength
and toughness in film form, it is used to produce grocery bags and
garbage bags, shrink and stretch film, and coating for milk cartons.

Examples:
Squeeze bottles, dry cleaning bags

PP (polypropylene)
has high tensile strength, making it ideal for use in caps and lids
that have to hold tightly on to threaded openings. Because of its high
melting point, polypropylene can be hot-filled with products designed
to cool in bottles, including ketchup and syrup. It is also used for
products that need to be incubated, such as yogurt. Many Cambo, Tupperware
and Rubbermaid food storage containers are made from PP.

Examples:
Bottle caps, take-out food containers, drinking straws

PS (polystyrene), in
its crystalline form, is a colorless plastic that can be clear and
hard. It can also be foamed to provide exceptional insulation
properties. Foamed or expanded polystyrene (EPS) is used for products
such as meat trays, egg cartons and coffee cups. It is also used for
packaging and protecting appliances, electronics and other sensitive
products.

Examples: Plastic foam, packing peanuts, coat hangers

Other
denotes plastics made from other types of resin or from several
resins mixed together. These usually cannot be recycled.

Why do we need different
types of plastics, anyway? This excerpt from the American Plastics Council
website explains it well.

"Copper, silver and
aluminum are all metals, yet each has unique properties. You wouldn't
make a car out of silver or a beer can out of copper because the
properties of these metals are not chemically or physically able to
create the most effective final product. Likewise, while plastics are
all related, each resin has attributes that make it best suited to a
particular application. Plastics make this possible because as a
material family they are so versatile."

Not All
HDPE Containers Are Food Grade

There is a common
misconception that all containers made of white plastic or HDPE plastic bearing the
symbol are food grade containers. This is not true.

If you are considering
the purchase of a container from some place other than a kitchen or
restaurant supply store, and the container is not clearly labeled as
"food safe" or being made of food grade plastic, then you should assume
that it is not food grade and you should not brine in it—unless you line
it with a food grade plastic bag.

Plastic Containers For Brining

Photo
1

Photo
2

Photo
3

Photo
4

Photo
5

Photo
6

Photo
7

Photo
8

Any food grade HDPE, PP, or
polycarbonate container is appropriate for brining. These materials can
withstand the salt, acids (e.g. orange juice, Coca-Cola), and alcohol
(e.g. beer, booze) used in flavor brines.

As a general rule:

Food storage
containers sold at restaurant supply stores are made of food grade HDPE,
PP, or polycarbonate.

Sometimes brining in a
food grade plastic bag is more convenient and takes less space in the
refrigerator than using a bulky plastic container.

Regular Ziploc bags can
be used safely for brining (Photo 9). The one-gallon size can be used for small
cuts of meat like pork chops, chicken pieces, while the two-gallon size
will accommodate a whole or butterflied chicken. Just put the meat in
the bag, add the brine, zip the top, and place in a mixing bowl in the
fridge for support and to catch any leaks (Photo 10).

For items like a whole
turkey, large food grade plastic bags will do the trick. One
such product is Ziploc Big Bags
XL (Photos 11-13). These thick, sturdy
bags are designed to store anything, including food, and are made of the
same food grade plastic as regular Ziploc bags. They measure 2' x 1.7'
and hold up to 10 gallons. They include built-in handles and a pleated
bottom that allows the bag stand up on its own.

Another product is Reynolds Oven Bag for Turkey (Photos
14-15). These bags can be used
as a liner inside any non-food grade plastic container. In fact, you can add plain water outside
the bag to displace some of the volume of the container, thus reducing the
amount of brine needed inside the bag.

Both Ziploc Big Bags
XL and Reynolds Oven Bag
for Turkey are available in stores alongside regular Ziploc bags.

Some kitchen supply
stores and catalogs sell specially designed disposable turkey brining bags. They are made of food grade plastic, but tend to be very
expensive compared to the bags shown above.

Plastics To Avoid

If you know that a plastic container
or bag is not made of food grade material, you should not use it for brining.
If you cannot determine the food grade status of a container or bag, you should not use it for brining.

Examples include:

HDPE white plastic
containers of unknown food grade status

Garbage cans or pails

Mop buckets

Laundry detergent or
kitty litter buckets

Dry pet food buckets

5-gallon utility
buckets from the home center

Household storage
containers

Garbage bags

Any
container—even if made of food grade plastic—that has been used to store non-food items like chemicals,
paint, or detergent

Removing Odors And Stains From HDPE Buckets

Since HDPE buckets are
somewhat porous, they can hold odors and stains from foods like pickles or
barbecue sauce. If you score a free bucket from a restaurant, try
this cleaning routine suggested by
USA Emergency Supply. It
has worked pretty well for me.

Wash the bucket inside
and out with warm, soapy water, then rinse.

Place the bucket
outside in a sunny location.

Pour 1 cup of
baking soda into the bucket and fill with warm water all the way to
the top. Stir to dissolve, then put on the lid, or cover with aluminum
foil.

Let the bucket sit in
the sun for several days, then empty and rinse out.

Pour 1 cup of
bleach into the bucket and fill with warm water all the way to the
top. Stir to mix, then put on the lid, or cover with aluminum foil.

Let the bucket
sit in the sun for several days, then empty.

Wash again inside and
out with warm water and dishwashing liquid, then let dry with the lid
off.

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